Do We Kill Orangutans To Clear Forests For Plantations? "No" Says Najib.

The motive behind the accusation by Western environmental activists that Malaysia and Indonesia killed thousands of orangutans to clear forest for oil palm plantations is merely to jeopardize the industry, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the only intention of the environmentalists was to destroy the industry.

“The fact is that we have a very good track record in preserving our forests. We have gazetted large areas of land as forest reserve.

“We even have forest reserve, especially for the conservation of the habitat of the orangutans, which are an attraction to the people as well as tourists”,” he told reporters after launching the inaugural Smart School International Conference 2007 on Monday.

On the next course of action, he said the palm oil industry and Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry must work together to counter the unfounded claims.

“They must identify efforts to overcome the unhealthy tactics used by certain parties whose intentions are merely to reduce the world’s confidence on palm oil as a good product suitable for the global market,” he said.

Najib said there had been one or two incidents, which did not satisfy the Government such as the Lojing case in Kelantan.

“But generally even at the international level, Malaysia is far better off than many countries, including Europe, in forest conservation,” he added.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui was reported as saying on Sunday that Malaysia and Indonesia would work together to counter the latest attacks by Western environmentalists. (TheStar)

***** I wish that Najib was right and our forests could honestly be categorized in the semuanya ok phase. But unfortunately the greedy Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers of most states have been committing mass rape of our forests over the past few decades. When even people, living human beings including Orang Aslis and poor squatters have been evicted mercilessly, what chance does the average orangutan stand?

To condemn environmentalists with a sweeping, "their only intention is to destroy the palm oil industry," is both melodramatic and patently false. The concerns expressed by the westerners are genuine ones and even if we don't care for the animals we cruelly kill in the name of progress and exercising our sovereignty, the Mat Salleh fortunately (for these animals) does care. Thousands of dead orangutans may be just a statistic for our authorities to hide and deny, but there are good people out there who consider these creatures as precious and endangered gifts of nature that should be preserved and protected at all costs. If in the process they reveal the cruelty meted out by uncaring governments which may cause international embarrassment and shame, they're not going to lose any sleep over that.

If forced to choose between the word of a politician and an environmentalist on this subject, I'd safely pick the latter every time.
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